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Zuber Wins as Kubica Takes Title

Andreas Zuber won his first World Series by Renault race after dominating race one at Estoril, as Robert Kubica secured the 2005 title

Zuber, who started second on the grid, got the jump on pole sitter Tristan Gommendy at the start and was never headed, pulling out a 5.547 second advantage over Kubica at the chequered flag.

The Austrian has come close to winning in the series when dominating Valencia's feature race before a strategy decision robbed him of nearly a 12-second lead.

"Everything went perfectly today," Zuber said. "From the middle of the race it was quite easy. I just had to hold on."

Epsilon Euskadi driver Kubica secured the title with the runner-up slot after his closest rival Adrian Valles retired from the race, pulling into the pits with mechanical difficulties. Kubica braved it out to beat Gommendy into second through the first couple of corners, and because he finished ahead of him and the other theoretical title contender Markus Winkelhock, the Polish driver secured the title three races early.

"I thought I'd have to fight for the championship until the last round at Monza," Kubica said. "It is really good for me to take it this early considering that there were seven different winners in the first seven races. It shows that I am quick and consistent."

Gommendy finished third after being unable to live with Kubica after the first lap. Markus Winkelhock finished fourth, ahead of Kubica's teammate Felix Porteiro.

CLASSIFIED:

Pos  Driver      Team                   Time
 1.  Zuber       Carlin Motorsport      28:03.213
 2.  Kubica      Epsilon Euskadi        +   5.647
 3.  Gommendy    KTR                    +   8.097
 4.  Winkelhock  Draco Multiracing USA  +   9.042
 5.  Porteiro    Epsilon Euskadi        +  11.677
 6.  Fleming     Jenzer Motorsport      +  13.437
 7.  Pilet       GD Racing              +  19.397
 8.  Montanari   Draco Multiracing USA  +  21.689
 9.  Pagenaud    DHG Saulnier Racing    +  22.267
10.  Power       Carlin Motorsport      +  23.046
11.  Pavlovic    GD Racing              +  35.619
12.  Maldonado   Dams                   +  45.940
13.  Pellegrino  RC Motorsport          +  46.999
14.  Fukuda      DHG Saulnier Racing    +  49.185
15.  Carbone     Eurointernational      +  49.806
16.  Rigon       Victory Engineering    +  50.391
17.  Hanley      Cram Competition       +  51.671
18.  Miguez      Pons Racing            +  55.880
19.  Van Lagen   KTR                    +  56.006
20.  Meneghello  Eurointernational      +1:02.213
21.  Bellarosa   Avelon Formula         +1:10.359
22.  Prost       Dams                   +1:11.132
23.  Bennani     Avelon Formula         +  1 lap
24.  Sharp       Jenzer Motorsport      +  2 laps

NOT CLASSIFIED/RETIREMENTS:

     Driver      Team                   On Lap
     Tedeschi    RC Motorsport            15
     Valles      Pons Racing              12
     Rees        Interwetten               7
     Pasini      Cram Competition          3
                                        
Fastest Lap: Zuber, 1:27.450

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